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David Vitter

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David Vitter
Image of David Vitter

Republican Party

Prior offices
Louisiana House of Representatives
U.S. House Louisiana District 1
Successor: Bobby Jindal
U.S. Senate Louisiana

Compensation

Net worth

(2012) $1,633,027.50

Education

High school

De La Salle High School

Bachelor's

Harvard University

Law

Tulane Law School

Other

Rhodes Scholar

Personal
Religion
Christian: Catholic
Profession
Attorney

David Vitter (b. May 3, 1961, in New Orleans, LA) is a former Republican member of the U.S. Senate from the state of Louisiana. Vitter served from 2005 to 2017.[1]

Vitter ran for governor of Louisiana in 2015. He lost to State Rep. John Bel Edwards (D) in the November 21 runoff. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) was ineligible to run because of term limits.[2][3][4]

In his concession speech after losing his race for governor, Vitter announced that he would not run for re-election to the Senate in 2016, saying, "I've reached my personal term limit."[5]

Vitter was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2005 and a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1992 to 1999.[1]

In July 2007, Vitter was identified as a client of a prostitution service during the DC Madam scandal.[6][7]

Biography

Vitter was born May 3, 1961, in New Orleans, La. He received his A.B. from Harvard University in 1983 and a B.A. from Oxford University (as a Rhodes Scholar) in 1985. Vitter went on to receive his J.D. from Tulane Law School in 1988.[1]

Career

Below is an abbreviated outline of Vitter's political career:[1]

Committee assignments

U.S. Senate

2015-2016

Vitter served on the following Senate committees:[8]

2013-2014

Vitter served on the following Senate committees:[9][10]

2011-2012

Vitter served on the following Senate committees:[11]

Key votes

114th Congress

CongressLogo.png

The first session of the 114th Congress enacted into law six out of the 2,616 introduced bills (0.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 1.3 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the first session. In the second session, the 114th Congress enacted 133 out of 3,159 introduced bills (4.2 percent). Comparatively, the 113th Congress had 7.0 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[12][13] The Senate confirmed 18,117 out of 21,815 executive nominations received (83 percent). For more information pertaining to Vitter's voting record in the 114th Congress, please see the below sections.[14]

Economic and fiscal

Trade Act of 2015
See also: The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, 2015

Yea3.png On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). TPA, also known as fast track authority, allows the president to negotiate trade deals that cannot be amended by Congress. Congress casts a simple up or down vote on a trade agreement, and the legislation only requires a simple majority for approval. The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Vitter voted with 47 other Republican senators to approve the bill.[15][16]
Trade promotion authority
Yea3.png On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Vitter was one of 47 Republicans to vote in favor of the bill. After, Senate Republican leadership honored a pledge to support trade adjustment assistance (TAA) by passing the measure as part of HR 1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 by voice vote. The House passed HR 1295 the following day, on June 25, 2015, and both TPA and TAA were signed into law on June 29, 2015.[17][18][19]

2016 Budget proposal

Neutral/Abstain On May 5, 2015, the Senate voted to approve SConRes11, a congressional budget proposal for fiscal year 2016, by a vote of 51-48. The non-binding resolution will be used to create 12 appropriations bills to fund the government. The vote marked the first time since 2009 that Congress approved a joint budget resolution. All 51 votes for the resolution were cast by Republicans. Vitter did not vote on the legislation.[20][21][22]

Defense spending authorization

Neutral/Abstain On November 10, 2015, the Senate passed S 1356 - the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 91-3. The second version of the $607 billion national defense bill included "$5 billion in cuts to match what was approved in the budget" and language preventing the closure of the Guantanamo Bay military prison.[23][24] Vitter and five Republicans did not vote.[25] On November 5, 2015, the House passed the bill by a vote of 370-58, and President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 25, 2015.[26]

Yea3.png On June 18, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1735 - National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 by a vote of 71-25. The bill "authorizes FY2016 appropriations and sets forth policies for Department of Defense (DOD) programs and activities, including military personnel strengths. It does not provide budget authority, which is provided in subsequent appropriations legislation." Vitter voted with 48 Republicans, 21 Democrats and one Independent to approve the bill.[27] The House passed the bill on May 15, 2015.[28] President Barack Obama vetoed the bill on October 22, 2015.[29]

2015 budget

Neutral/Abstain On October 30, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 by a vote of 64-35. The bill increased military and domestic spending levels and suspended the debt ceiling until March 2017.[30] Vitter was the only senator who did not vote.[31] It passed the House on October 28, 2015.[32] President Barack Obama signed it into law on November 2, 2015.

Foreign Affairs

Iran nuclear deal
See also: Iran nuclear agreement, 2015

Yea3.png On May 7, 2015, the Senate voted to approve HR 1191 - A bill to provide for congressional review and oversight of agreements relating to Iran's nuclear program, and for other purposes, by a vote of 98-1. The bill required President Barack Obama to submit the details of the nuclear deal with Iran for congressional review. Congress had 60 days to review the deal and vote to approve, disapprove or take no action on the deal. During the review period, sanctions on Iran could not be lifted. Vitter voted with 52 other Republican senators to approve the bill. Senator Tom Cotton (Ark.) was the only Republican who voted against the bill.[33][34]


Hire More Heroes Act of 2015
Yea3.png On September 10, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 58-42.[35] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Vitter voted with 53 other Republicans and four Democrats to proceed to the measure of disapproval.[36]


Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 follow up votes
Yea3.png On September 15, 2015, the Senate voted for a second time to filibuster the measure to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal by a vote of 56-42.[37] Sixty votes were needed to proceed to HJ Res 61 - the Hire More Heroes Act of 2015, the legislative vehicle the Senate was expected to use to disapprove of the Iran nuclear deal. Vitter voted with 51 Republicans and four Democrats to proceed to the measure of disapproval.[38] The legislation was voted on for a third time on September 17, and it failed for a third time by a vote of 56-42.[39]


Hire More Heroes Act of 2015 fourth vote
Yea3.png On September 17, 2015, the Senate voted to filibuster a vote on S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640 by a vote of 53-45. The amendment proposed prohibiting "the President from waiving, suspending, reducing, providing relief from, or otherwise limiting the application of sanctions pursuant to an agreement related to the nuclear program of Iran."[40] Vitter voted with 51 Republicans and one Democrat to proceed to the amendment.[41]

Domestic

USA FREEDOM Act of 2015

Yea3.png On June 2, 2015, the Senate passed HR 2048 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Fulfilling Rights and Ensuring Effective Discipline Over Monitoring Act of 2015 or the USA FREEDOM Act of 2015 by a vote of 67-32. The legislation revised HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005 by terminating the bulk collection of metadata under Sec. 215 of the act, requiring increased reporting from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court and requiring the use of "a specific selection term as the basis for national security letters that request information from wire or electronic communication service providers, financial institutions, or consumer reporting agencies." Vitter voted with 22 Republicans, 43 Democrats and one Independent to approve the legislation. It became law on June 2, 2015.[42][43]

Loretta Lynch AG nomination

Nay3.png On April 23, 2015, the Senate voted to confirm Loretta Lynch as United States Attorney General by a vote of 56-43. All 44 Democratic senators voted to confirm Lynch. Vitter voted with 42 other Republican senators against Lynch's confirmation.[44]

Cyber security

Neutral/Abstain On October 27, 2015, the Senate passed S 754 - the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 by a vote of 74-21.[45] The bill proposed procedures that would allow federal agencies and private entities to share information about cyber threats. Vitter and four other Republicans did not vote.[46]

Immigration

Yea3.png On October 20, 2015, the Senate voted against proceeding to a vote on S 2146 - the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act by a vote of 54-45. The bill proposed withholding federal funding from "sanctuary jurisdictions" that violate the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 and other federal immigration laws. In addition, the bill proposed increasing "penalties for individuals who illegally reenter the United States after being removed" and providing "liability protection for State and local law enforcement who cooperate with Federal law enforcement."[47] Vitter voted with 51 Republicans and two Democrats in favor of proceeding to the bill.[48]

113th Congress

The second session of the 113th Congress enacted into law 224 out of the 3215 introduced bills (7 percent). Comparatively, the 112th Congress had 4.2 percent of introduced bills enacted into law in the second session.[49] The Senate confirmed 13,949 out of 18,323 executive nominations received (76.1 percent). For more information pertaining to Vitter's voting record in the 113th Congress, please see the below sections.[50]

National security

John Brennan CIA nomination

Neutral/Abstain Vitter did not vote on the confirmation of John Brennan as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency. The nomination was confirmed by the Senate on March 7, 2013, with a vote of 63 - 34. Most Democrats supported the nomination, while Republicans were somewhat divided with roughly one-third supporting the nomination.[51]

Economy

Farm bill

Yea3.png On February 4, 2014, the Democratic controlled Senate approved the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013, H.R. 2642, also known as the Farm Bill.[52] It passed the Senate with a vote of 68-32. The nearly 1,000-page bill reformed and continued various programs of the Department of Agriculture through 2018. The $1 trillion bill expanded crop insurance for farmers by $7 billion over the next decade and created new subsidies for rice and peanut growers that will kick in when prices drop; however, cuts to the food stamp program cut an average of $90 per month for 1.7 million people in 15 states.[53] Vitter joined with 19 other Republican senators in favor of the bill.

2014 Budget

Yea3.png On January 16, 2014, the Democratic-controlled Senate approved H.R. 3547, a $1.1 trillion spending bill to fund the government through September 30, 2014.[54][55] The Senate voted 72-26 for the 1,582 page bill, with 17 Republicans and 55 Democrats voting in favor of the bill.[55] The omnibus package included 12 annual spending bills to fund federal operations.[56] It included a 1 percent increase in the paychecks of federal workers and military personnel, a $1 billion increase in Head Start funding for early childhood education, reduced funding to the Internal Revenue Service and the Environmental Protection Agency and left the Affordable Care Act without any drastic cuts. Vitter voted with the 17 Republican and the 55 Democratic members in favor of the bill.[54][55]

Government shutdown

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

Nay3.png During the shutdown in October 2013, the Senate rejected, down party lines, every House-originated bill that stripped the budget of funding for the Affordable Care Act. A deal was reached late on October 16, 2013, just hours before the debt ceiling deadline. The bill to reopen the government, H.R. 2775, lifted the $16.7 trillion debt limit and funded the government through January 15, 2014. Federal employees also received retroactive pay for the shutdown period. The only concession made by Senate Democrats was to require income verification for Obamacare subsidies.[57] The final vote on H.R. 2775 was 81-18, with all 18 votes against the bill from Republican members. Vitter voted with the Republican Party against the bill.[58]

No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013

Nay3.png Vitter voted against H.R.325 -- No Budget, No Pay Act of 2013. The bill passed the Senate on January 31, 2013, with a vote of 64 - 34. The purpose of the bill was to temporarily suspend the debt ceiling and withhold the pay of members of Congress until a budget could be passed. The vote largely followed party lines with Democrats overwhelmingly supporting it and many Republicans in opposition to the bill.[51]

Immigration

Mexico-U.S. border

Yea3.png Vitter voted for Senate Amendment 1197 -- Requires the Completion of the Fence Along the United States-Mexico Border. The amendment was rejected by the Senate on June 18, 2013, with a vote of 39 - 54. The purpose of the amendment was to require the completion of 350 miles of fence described in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 before registered provisional immigrant status may be granted. It would also require 700 miles of fence be completed before the status of registered provisional immigrants may be changed to permanent resident status. The vote followed party lines.[51]

Social issues

Violence Against Women (2013)

Yea3.png Vitter voted for S.47 -- Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013. The bill was passed by the Senate on February 12, 2013, with a vote of 78 - 22. The purpose of the bill was to combat violence against women, from domestic violence to international trafficking in persons. All 22 dissenting votes were cast by Republicans.[51]

2013 introduced bills

According to a January 2014 Politico report, Vitter introduced 67 bills, the most of any senator, in 2013.[59]

Previous congressional sessions

Fiscal Cliff

Yea3.png Vitter voted for the fiscal cliff compromise bill, which made permanent most of the Bush tax cuts originally passed in 2001 and 2003 while also raising tax rates on the highest income levels. The bill was passed in the Senate by an 89 - 8 vote on January 1, 2013.[60]


Issues

National security

Letter to Iran

On March 9, 2015, Senator Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) wrote a letter to Iran's leadership, warning them that signing a nuclear deal with the Obama administration without congressional approval constituted only an executive agreement. The letter also stated that "The next president could revoke such an executive agreement with the stroke of a pen and future Congresses could modify the terms of the agreement at any time." The letter was signed by 47 Republican members of the Senate. Vitter was one of the 47 who signed the letter. No Democrats signed it.[61]

Members of the Obama administration and of Congress reacted to the letter.[62] Vice President Joe Biden said of the letter, "In thirty-six years in the United States Senate, I cannot recall another instance in which senators wrote directly to advise another country — much less a longtime foreign adversary — that the president does not have the constitutional authority to reach a meaningful understanding with them."[63]

Healthcare

Citizens United spokesperson

In November 2013, Vitter announced that he was the spokesman for a national advertising campaign by Citizens United that alleged members of Congress were helped by the Obama administration to exempt them from the Affordable Care Act.[64]

Affordable Care Act subsidies

Vitter introduced SB 1497 on September 12, 2013, to expand the required coverage by state health insurance exchange American Health Benefit Exchange from members of Congress and their staff to also include the President, Vice-President, executive branch political appointees and employees of congressional committees and leadership offices of Congress. It also prohibits any government contribution or subsidy for this coverage. It was originally co-sponsored by Mike Enzi, Dean Heller, Mike Lee, Ron Johnson and Jim Inhofe. Ted Cruz joined on September 17, 2013.[65][66] Vitter's bill was a response to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management ruling that allowed members of Congress and their staff to keep their insurance subsidies provided by the government.[67][68]

Letter on ACA

See also: United States budget debate, 2013

In August 2013, Vitter signed a letter that threatened a government shutdown unless Congress voted to defund the Affordable Care Act.[69]

The letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, organized by Sen. Mike Lee, was signed by 11 fellow Republicans, including Vitter.[69] It cites the president's recent decision to delay a mandate for one year that requires employers with 50 or more workers to provide health insurance or pay a penalty while going ahead with implementation of the rest of the law, including an individual mandate to purchase insurance -- with subsidies for low-income Americans -- as scheduled in January.[69]

"The president cannot seriously expect to waive ObamaCare's onerous mandates on large businesses, while simultaneously forcing individuals and families to pay to implement an individual mandate the public has opposed since before the law was even passed. For these reasons, we will not support any continuing resolution or appropriations legislation that funds further implementation or enforcement of ObamaCare," said the letter to Reid.[69][70]

Noteworthy events

Partisan conflicts

After beginning the 113th Congress Sen. Vitter (R-La.) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) worked jointly across party lines in the Senate, but in September 2013 they ended their working relationship.[71] Vitter accused Boxer of “bribery,” while she responded that Vitter was demeaning the Senate, all as part of a feud over Obamacare.[71][72]

Urge for Ethics probe investigation

Vitter called for an ethics probe of Boxer and Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on September 13, 2013, after a proposed Democratic amendment was released that barred senators who have been investigated for soliciting prostitutes from receiving health insurance.[73][74]

Under the proposed legislation any senator whom a congressional ethics panel had "probable cause" to believe solicited prostitutes would be ineligible for congressional health insurance. A Democratic aide estimated the federal government had spent $112,624.88 on its share of Vitter's premiums since 1999, when he first entered Congress.[73] In response, Vitter accused Reid of “acting like an old-time Vegas mafia thug, and a desperate one at that."[75]

Ethics complaint dismissed

On September 24, 2013, the Senate Ethics Committee, chaired by Boxer, dismissed Vitter's complaint and said that no further action would be taken.[76]

“The complaint offers no concrete information to support the allegation that Sen. Reid, Sen. Boxer, or their staffs were involved with the legislative language drafted by unknown parties that you described. Further, an inquiry involving speculation over draft legislative language not part of any bill or any proceedings would be unprecedented,” stated John Sassaman, chief counsel and staff director for the panel.[76]

Boxer’s spokesman denied she was responsible for the dismissal. “Senator Boxer chose not to be involved in the decision-making process regarding this complaint," said Zachary Coile[76]

Second ethics complaint filed

Vitter filed a second complaint with the Senate ethics committee on September 26, 2013, seeking further investigation into his claim that Democrats used “bribery” to build opposition to a health care proposal he sponsored.[77] Vitter said the issue would not go away. Boxer accused him of using the committee to launch political attacks.[78]

Prostitution scandal

In early July 2007, Vitter's phone number was included in a published list of phone records of Pamela Martin and Associates, a company owned and run by Deborah Jeane Palfrey, also known as the "D.C. Madam."[79][7] The following day, Vitter issued a written statement in which he took responsibility for his "sin" and asked for forgiveness.[7] On July 16, 2007, Vitter, standing next to his wife, asked the public for forgiveness in a press conference.[6][80]

Endorsements

Louisiana's 5th special election

See also: Louisiana's 5th Congressional District special election, 2013

U.S. Sen. Vitter said he would not endorse a candidate in the 2013 special election for the 5th District congressional seat.[81] Vitter said on August 16, 2013, that he often does not get involved in races that have “two or more significant Republicans.”[81]

Elections

2016

See also: United States Senate election in Louisiana, 2016

Heading into the election, Ballotpedia rated Louisiana's U.S. Senate race as safely Republican. The seat was open following incumbent David Vitter's decision to retire. A total of 24 candidates filed to run and competed in the primary election on November 8, 2016. John Kennedy (R) and Foster Campbell (D) took the top two spots in the election, advancing to the general election on December 10, 2016. Kennedy subsequently defeated Campbell in the general election.[82]

U.S. Senate, Louisiana General Election, 2016
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Kennedy 60.7% 536,191
     Democratic Foster Campbell 39.3% 347,816
Total Votes 884,007
Source: Louisiana Secretary of State

Vitter announced that he would not seek re-election to the Senate following his loss in the 2015 gubernatorial election.[83]

2015

See also: Louisiana gubernatorial election, 2015

Vitter ran for Governor of Louisiana in 2015. Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) was unable to run for re-election due to term limits.[84]

In a statement released to the Associated Press in December 2013, Vitter said he would make a decision by January 2014.[85] On January 21, 2014, Vitter released a campaign website and a video in which he said “I believe that as our next governor I can have a bigger impact addressing the unique challenges and opportunities that we face in Louisiana."[86]

Vitter to run for Governor of Louisiana

Results

General election

The general election for Louisiana governor between David Vitter (R) and John Bel Edwards (D) was held on November 21, 2015. Edwards defeated his Republican opponent.

Governor of Louisiana, Run-off election, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Bel Edwards 56.1% 646,860
     Republican David Vitter 43.9% 505,929
Total Votes 1,152,789
Election Results via the Louisiana Secretary of State.

In a post-election analysis for Ballotpedia, reporter Jim Barnes wrote that Edwards' attractiveness to conservative voters, coupled with Vitter's unpopularity, helped him win the election. Barnes pointed out that the pro-Edwards Gumbo PAC tailored its anti-Vitter ads toward supporters of Vitter's defeated primary opponents Scott Angelle, who did not endorse a candidate in the general election, and Jay Dardenne, who endorsed Edwards. Barnes also mentioned Vitter's prostitution scandal and Edwards' conservative positions on social issues as factors in Vitter's loss.

See the full analysis: 2015 Election Analysis: How Edwards Won in Louisiana
Primary election

No candidate received an outright majority in the blanket primary election. The two candidates with the most votes, who qualified for the November runoff election, were John Bel Edwards (D) and David Vitter (R).[87]

Governor of Louisiana, Blanket Primary, 2015
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Democratic Green check mark transparent.pngJohn Bel Edwards 39.9% 444,061
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Vitter 23% 256,105
     Republican Scott Angelle 19.3% 214,907
     Republican Jay Dardenne 15% 166,553
     Democratic Cary Deaton 1.1% 11,750
     Democratic S L Simpson 0.7% 7,411
     Independent Beryl Billiot 0.5% 5,690
     Independent Jeremy "JW" Odom 0.4% 4,755
     Independent Eric Paul Orgeron 0.2% 2,244
Total Votes 1,113,476
Election Results Louisiana Secretary of State.

Endorsements

Polls

Run-off election candidates match-up: David Vitter (R) vs. John Bel Edwards (D)

Governor of Louisiana
Poll David Vitter (R) John Edwards (D)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Anzalone Liszt Grove/Gumbo PAC
October 26-28, 2015		 40%52%7%+/-3.7700
Market Research Insight
October 27-28, 2015		 41%49%10%+/-4.1600
JMC Analytics/WVLA
October 28-31, 2015		 36%52%16%+/-4600
Market Research Insight
November 11-14, 2015		 38%53%9%+/--600
JMC Analytics
November 14-16, 2015		 35%51%13%+/-3.9635
AVERAGES 38% 51.4% 11% +/-1.54 627
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Primary election candidates match-up

Governor of Louisiana
Poll David Vitter (R) John Edwards (D)Jay Dardenne (R)Scott Angelle (R)Undecided or OtherMargin of errorSample size
MarblePort Polling
March 17, 2015		 34%31%14%7%14%+/-2.991,071
Southern Media & Opinion Research
May 5 - 9, 2015		 38.1%24.6%16.5%5.4%5.4%+/-4600
Market Research Insight
May 27 - 29, 2015		 32%21%18%13%16%+/-3.5700
Triumph Campaigns
June 29 - 30, 2015		 31%30%11%14%14%+/-2.41,653
Market Research Insight
July 27-31, 2015		 22%20%13%24%21%+/-4600
The Hayride/MarblePort
August 4-5, 2015		 31.1%30.6%13.4%14.1%10.8%+/--1,050
Triumph Campaigns
September 18, 2015		 29%35%11%12%13%+/-2.91,125
Public Policy Polling
September 21-22, 2015		 27%28%14%15%17%+/-4616
Triumph Campaigns
September 29-30, 2015		 28%35%15%10%13%+/-2.91,047
KPLC/Raycom Media
October 7-13, 2015		 21%24%8%7%37%+/-4602
MRI
October 14-16, 2015		 20%38%14%16%11%+/--600
MRI
October 15-19, 2015		 19%36%14%17%12%+/--600
University of New Orleans Survey Research Center/Lucid
October 14-19, 2015		 27%25%11%14%23%+/--623
MarblePort
October 20-21, 2015		 28.5%40.5%14.1%12.7%4.3%+/-3.01,464
AVERAGES 25.85% 27.91% 12.47% 12.08% 14.1% +/-0.78 894.33
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Run-off hypothetical match-up: Scott Angelle (R) vs. John Bel Edwards (D)

Governor of Louisiana
Poll Scott Angelle (R) John Edwards (D)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Public Policy Polling
September 21-22, 2015		 40%40%20%+/-4616
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Run-off hypothetical match-up: John Bel Edwards (D) vs. David Vitter (R)

Governor of Louisiana
Poll John Edwards (D) David Vitter (R)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
KPLC/Raycom Media
October 7-13, 2015		 48%32%20%+/-4602
Public Policy Polling
September 21-22, 2015		 50%38%12%+/-4616
AVERAGES 49% 35% 16% +/-4 609
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Run-off hypothetical match-up: John Bel Edwards (D) vs. Jay Dardenne (R)

Governor of Louisiana
Poll John Edwards (D) Jay Dardenne (R)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Public Policy Polling
September 21-22, 2015		 40%42%18%+/-4616
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.


Run-off hypothetical match-up: Scott Angelle (R) vs. David Vitter (R)

Governor of Louisiana
Poll David Vitter (R) Scott Angelle (R)UndecidedMargin of errorSample size
Causeway Solutions
September 13-16, 2015		 32%43.4%24.6%+/---800
Note: The polls above may not reflect all polls that have been conducted in this race. Those displayed are a random sampling chosen by Ballotpedia staff. If you would like to nominate another poll for inclusion in the table, send an email to editor@ballotpedia.org.

Debates

November 16 debate

The final debate between Louisiana gubernatorial candidates John Bel Edwards (D) and David Vitter (R) took place at the Dunham School in Baton Rouge, La., on November 16, 2015.[94]

The first topic of the debate was how each candidate would handle the 10,000 Syrian refugees that President Obama said the United States would accept in the coming months. Both candidates said they supported Governor Bobby Jindal's executive order preventing more refugees from entering Louisiana, beyond the 14 already settled. Vitter accused Edwards, however, of siding with Obama on the issue.[95]

The candidates also debated character issues and tax policy.[94]

In his closing statement, Vitter addressed allegations that he had solicited the services of prostitutes in the past, arguing that he had grown as a person. Edwards had mentioned it multiple times, directly and indirectly, throughout the evening.[94]

November 10 debate

The two remaining candidates for Louisiana governor, David Vitter (R) and John Edwards (D), participated in a debate in Baton Rouge. Topics at the November 10, 2015, debate included health insurance, K-12 education, the state budget and infrastructure, and various campaign issues. The debate lasted for one hour.[96]

See also: Fact-checking John Bel Edwards on David Vitter's legislative record

November 9 debate

Gubernatorial Debate at Baton Rouge Press Club (November 9, 2015)

January 16 forum

Gubernatorial candidates Scott Angelle (R), Jay Dardenne (R), David Vitter (R), and John Edwards (D) opened Louisiana's election season with a largely congenial forum. All four candidates shared similar thoughts on funding for transportation and the state police along with the legacy of term-limited Gov. Bobby Jindal (R). Dardenne criticized the state's approach to new transportation projects, arguing that it was unsustainable and too political. Each candidate agreed that the state police should see decreases in their allotment from the transportation trust fund, which was funded by gas taxes. Vitter, a sitting U.S. senator, criticized Jindal for his budgeting practices and argued that the governor had used his position as a springboard to seek the presidency.[97]

The biggest source of disagreement on January 16 was the state's financial support for parish transportation costs. Angelle and Edwards noted that parish governments needed state transportation aid because of their inability to generate enough revenue for local projects. Dardenne argued that current local aid, equaling more than one cent per dollar in gas taxes, needed to be decreased to preserve the state fund.[97]

Campaign finance

Third quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $2,685,411.34 and spent a total of $3,535,658.92 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on September 25, 2015.[98]

Second quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $2,785,400.33 and spent a total of $1,873,096.62 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on September 25, 2015.[99]

First quarter report (2015)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $2,539,527.28 and spent a total of $1,598,135.31 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on May 4, 2015.[100]

Annual report (2014)
Comprehensive donor information for this election was collected from the state's campaign finance authority. Based on available campaign finance records, the candidates raised a total of $6,699,634.53 and spent a total of $1,267,092.55 during this reporting period. This information was last updated on February 19, 2015.[101]

2010

On November 2, 2010, Vitter (R) won re-election to the United States Senate. He defeated Charlie Melancon (D), Michael Karlton Brown (I), R. A. "Skip" Galan (I), Milton Gordon (I), Sam Houston Melton, Jr. (I), Randall Todd Hayes (L), William R. McShan (Reform), Michael Lane "Mike" Spears (I), Ernest D. Woolon (I), William Robert "Bob" Lang, Jr. (I) and Thomas G. "Tommy" LaFarge (I) in the primary election.[102]

Louisiana elections use the Louisiana majority-vote system. All candidates compete in the same primary, and a candidate can win the election outright by receiving more than 50% of the vote. If no candidate does, the top two vote recipients from the primary advance to the general election, regardless of their partisan affiliation.

For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

U.S. Senate, Louisiana Primary Election, 2010
Party Candidate Vote % Votes
     Republican Green check mark transparent.pngDavid Vitter Incumbent 56.6% 715,415
     Democratic Charlie Melancon 37.7% 476,572
     Independent Michael Karlton Brown 0.8% 9,973
     Independent R. A. "Skip" Galan 0.6% 7,474
     Independent Milton Gordon 0.4% 4,810
     Independent Sam Houston Melton, Jr. 0.3% 3,780
     Libertarian Randall Todd Hayes 1.1% 13,957
     Reform William R. McShan 0.5% 5,879
     Independent Michael Lane "Mike" Spears 0.7% 9,190
     Independent Ernest D. Woolon 0.6% 8,167
     Independent William Robert "Bob" Lang, Jr. 0.5% 5,734
     Independent Thomas G. "Tommy" LaFarge 0.3% 4,043
Total Votes 1,264,994

Full history


Campaign finance summary

Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.

David Vitter campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2010U.S. Senate (Louisiana)Won $12,560,392 N/A**
2004U.S. Senate (Louisiana)Won $7,192,566 N/A**
2002U.S. House (Louisiana, District 1)Won $1,397,268 N/A**
2000U.S. House (Louisiana, District 1)Won $2,140,311 N/A**
Grand total$23,290,537 N/A**
Sources: OpenSecrets,  Federal Elections Commission ***This product uses the openFEC API but is not endorsed or certified by the Federal Election Commission (FEC).
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Personal Gain Index

Congressional Personal Gain Index graphic.png
See also: Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress)

The Personal Gain Index (U.S. Congress) is a two-part measurement that illustrates the extent to which members of the U.S. Congress have prospered during their tenure as public servants.
It consists of two different metrics:

PGI: Change in net worth

See also: Changes in Net Worth of U.S. Senators and Representatives (Personal Gain Index) and Net worth of United States Senators and Representatives
Net Worth Metric graphic.png

Based on congressional financial disclosure forms and calculations made available by OpenSecrets.org, Vitter's net worth as of 2012 was estimated between $830,055 and $2,436,000. That averages to $1,633,027.50, which is lower than the average net worth of Republican senators in 2012 of $6,956,438.47. Vitter ranked as the 57th most wealthy senator in 2012.[104] Between 2004 and 2012, Vitter's calculated net worth[105] increased by an average of 1 percent per year. Between 2004 and 2012, the average annual percentage increase for a member of Congress was 15.4 percent.[106]

David Vitter Yearly Net Worth
YearAverage Net Worth
2004$1,508,994
2012$1,633,027
Growth from 2004 to 2012:8%
Average annual growth:1%[107]
Comparatively, the American citizen experienced a median yearly decline in net worth of -0.94%.[108]

The data used to calculate changes in net worth may include changes resulting from assets gained through marriage, inheritance, changes in family estates and/or trusts, changes in family business ownership, and many other variables unrelated to a member's behavior in Congress.

PGI: Donation Concentration Metric

See also: The Donation Concentration Metric (U.S. Congress Personal Gain Index)

Filings required by the Federal Election Commission report on the industries that give to each candidate. Using campaign filings and information calculated by OpenSecrets.org, Ballotpedia calculated the percentage of donations by industry received by each incumbent over the course of his or her career (or 1989 and later, if elected prior to 1988). In the 113th Congress, Vitter was the ranking Republican member of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. Vitter received the most donations from individuals and PACs employed by the Oil & Gas industry.

From 1999 to 2014, 21.39 percent of Vitter's career contributions came from the top five industries as listed below.[109]

Donation Concentration Metric graphic.png
David Vitter Campaign Contributions
Total Raised $26,062,683
Total Spent $25,415,556
Ranking member of the United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works
Top five industries that contributed to campaign committee
Oil & Gas$1,236,477
Health Professionals$1,196,295
Lawyers/Law Firms$1,167,871
Retired$1,087,781
Real Estate$885,136
% total in top industry4.74%
% total in top two industries9.33%
% total in top five industries21.39%

Analysis

Ideology and leadership

See also: GovTrack's Political Spectrum & Legislative Leadership ranking

Based on an analysis of bill sponsorship by GovTrack, Vitter was a "rank-and-file Republican," as of July 22, 2014. This was the same rating Vitter received in June 2013.[110]

Like-minded colleagues

The website OpenCongress tracks the voting records of each member to determine with whom he or she votes most and least often. The results include a member from each party.[111]

Vitter most often voted with:

Vitter least often voted with:


Lifetime voting record

See also: Lifetime voting records of United States Senators and Representatives

According to the website GovTrack, David Vitter missed 224 of 3,410 roll call votes from January 2005 to September 2015. This amounts to 6.6 percent, which is worse than the median of 1.6 percent among current senators as of September 2015.[112]

Congressional staff salaries

See also: Staff salaries of United States Senators and Representatives

The website Legistorm compiles staff salary information for members of Congress. Vitter paid his congressional staff a total of $2,396,031 in 2011. He ranked 20th on the list of the lowest paid Republican senatorial staff salaries and ranked 27th overall of the lowest paid senatorial staff salaries in 2011. Overall, Louisiana ranked 27th in average salary for senatorial staff. The average U.S. Senate congressional staff was paid $2,529,141.70 in fiscal year 2011.[113]

National Journal vote ratings

See also: National Journal vote ratings

Each year, National Journal publishes an analysis of how liberally or conservatively each member of Congress voted, as compared to other members, in the previous year. More information about the analysis process can be found on the vote ratings page.

2013

Vitter ranked 12th in the conservative rankings in 2013.[114]

2012

Vitter ranked 6th in the conservative rankings in 2012.[115]

2011

Vitter ranked 6th in the conservative rankings in 2011.[116]

Voting with party

The website OpenCongress tracks how often members of Congress vote with the majority of the chamber caucus.

2014

Vitter voted with the Republican Party 86.5 percent of the time, which ranked 27th among the 45 Senate Republican members as of July 2014.[117]

2013

Vitter voted with the Republican Party 86.3 percent of the time, which ranked 31st among the 46 Senate Republican members as of June 2013.[118]

Personal

Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Vitter lives in Metairie, La., with his wife, Wendy. They have four children.[119]

Recent news

This section links to a Google news search for the term David + Vitter + Louisiana + Senate


David Vitter News Feed

See also

External links


Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Biographical Guide to Members of Congress, "David Vitter," accessed October 22, 2011
  2. ↑ Politico, "David Vitter stokes buzz about governor bid," accessed May 22, 2013
  3. ↑ Politico, "David Vitter stokes buzz about governor bid," accessed May 22, 2013
  4. ↑ The Advocate, "Louisiana governor general election," accessed November 21, 2015
  5. ↑ Julia O'Donoghue, Times-Picayune, "David Vitter won't run for his U.S. Senate seat again," November 21, 2015
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Fox News, "New Orleans' Madam Says Sen. David Vitter Used Her Brothel," accessed July 23, 2013
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 ABC News, "‘Hustler’ Call May Have Prompted Vitter Admission," accessed July 23, 2013
  8. ↑ United States Senate, "Committee Assignments," accessed February 4, 2015
  9. ↑ Congressional Quarterly, "Senate Committee List," accessed January 22, 2013
  10. ↑ United States Senate, "Committee Assignments," accessed March 29, 2014
  11. ↑ U.S. Senate Official Website, "Committee Assignments," accessed October 22, 2011
  12. ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 113th Congress," accessed April 29, 2015
  13. ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 114th Congress," accessed January 5, 2017
  14. ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the One Hundred Fourteenth Congress," April 13, 2015
  15. ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1314," accessed May 25, 2015
  16. ↑ Senate.gov, "H.R. 1314 (Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act)," accessed May 25, 2015
  17. ↑ Senate.gov, "Roll Call for HR 2146," June 24, 2015
  18. ↑ The Hill, "Senate approves fast-track, sending trade bill to White House," June 24, 2015
  19. ↑ The Hill, "Obama signs trade bills," June 29, 2015
  20. ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Con.Res.11," accessed May 5, 2015
  21. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Conference Report (Conference Report to Accompany S. Con. Res. 11)," accessed May 5, 2015
  22. ↑ The Hill, "Republicans pass a budget, flexing power of majority," accessed May 5, 2015
  23. ↑ The Hill, "Redone defense policy bill sails through House," accessed November 12, 2015
  24. ↑ Congress.gov, "S. 1356," accessed November 12, 2015
  25. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to S. 1356)," accessed November 12, 2015
  26. ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 618," accessed November 12, 2015
  27. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture Re: Conference Report to Accompany H.R. 1735)," accessed October 6, 2015
  28. ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 239," accessed May 27, 2015
  29. ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R. 1735," accessed May 27, 2015
  30. ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015," accessed November 1, 2015
  31. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 1314)," accessed November 1, 2015
  32. ↑ Clerk.House.gov, "Final Vote Results for Roll Call 579," accessed November 1, 2015
  33. ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1191," accessed May 8, 2015
  34. ↑ Senate.gov, "H.R. 1191," accessed May 8, 2015
  35. ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2640 to H.J.Res.61," accessed September 10, 2015
  36. ↑ Congress.gov, "HJ Res 61," accessed September 10, 2015
  37. ↑ Senates.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on McConnell Amdt. No. 2640 )," accessed September 16, 2015
  38. ↑ Congress.gov, "HJ Res 61," accessed September 10, 2015
  39. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on McConnell Amdt. No. 2640 )," accessed September 17, 2015
  40. ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.2656 to S.Amdt.2640," accessed September 17, 2015
  41. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on McConnell Amdt. No. 2656)," accessed September 17, 2015
  42. ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2048," accessed May 26, 2015
  43. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 2048)," accessed June 2, 2015
  44. ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Nomination (Confirmation Loretta E. Lynch, of New York, to be Attorney General)," accessed April 29, 2015
  45. ↑ Congress.gov, "S 754," accessed November 1, 2015
  46. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Passage of the Bill (S. 754, As Amended)," accessed November 1, 2015
  47. ↑ Congress.gov, "S 2146," accessed November 2, 2015
  48. ↑ Senate.gov, "On Cloture on the Motion to Proceed (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Motion to Proceed to S. 2146)," accessed November 2, 2015
  49. ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, First Session of the 112th Congress," accessed September 5, 2013
  50. ↑ Congressional Record, "Resume of Congressional Activity, Second Session of the 113th Congress," accessed March 4, 2014
  51. ↑ 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 Project Vote Smart, "David Vitter Key Votes," accessed October 17, 2013
  52. ↑ Senate.gov, "H.R. 2642 (Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013)," accessed February 12, 2014
  53. ↑ New York Times, "Senate Passes Long-Stalled Farm Bill, With Clear Winners and Losers," accessed February 12, 2014
  54. ↑ 54.0 54.1 Politico, "Senate approves $1.1 trillion spending bill," accessed January 20, 2014
  55. ↑ 55.0 55.1 55.2 U.S. Senate, "January 16 Vote," accessed January 20, 2014
  56. ↑ Roll Call, "House Passes $1.1 Trillion Omnibus," accessed January 20, 2014
  57. ↑ The Washington Post, "Reid, McConnell propose bipartisan Senate bill to end shutdown, extend borrowing," accessed October 16, 2013
  58. ↑ Senate.gov, "H.R. 2775 As Amended," accessed October 31, 2013
  59. ↑ Politico, "Report: David Vitter, Alan Grayson introduce most bills," accessed January 9, 2014
  60. ↑ U.S. Senate, "Roll Call Vote on the Fiscal Cliff," accessed January 4, 2013
  61. ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Text of GOP Senators’ Letter to Iran’s Leaders on Nuclear Talks," March 9, 2015
  62. ↑ Politico, "Iran letter blowback startles GOP," March 12, 2015
  63. ↑ Fox News, "Firestorm erupts over GOP letter challenging Obama's power to approve Iran nuclear deal," March 10, 2015
  64. ↑ NOLA.com, "Sen. David Vitter stars in new Citizens United ad alleging special treatment for Congress," accessed November 6, 2013
  65. ↑ Congress.gov, "S.1497 - No Exemption for Washington from Obamacare Act," accessed October 15, 2013
  66. ↑ National Review Online, "The Obamacare Non-Exemption," accessed October 15, 2013
  67. ↑ Regulations.gov, "Federal Employees Health Benefits Program: Members of Congress and Congressional Staff," accessed October 2, 2013
  68. ↑ Forbes, "Congressmen Rejoice! Govt. To Subsidize Their Health Insurance Through Obamacare's Exchanges," accessed August 2, 2013
  69. ↑ 69.0 69.1 69.2 69.3 NOLA.com, "David Vitter signs GOP letter threatening government shutdown without repeal of ObamaCare," accessed August 19, 2013
  70. ↑ CBS News, "Vitter: I Support Government Shutdown Rather Than Paying For ‘Obamacare’," accessed August 19, 2013
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named breakup
  72. ↑ Politico, "Boxer-Vitter feud draws blood," September 16, 2013
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 Huffington Post, "David Vitter Calls For Ethics Probe Of Colleagues After Being Targeted By Prostitution Amendment," accessed September 16, 2013
  74. ↑ Politico, "David Vitter wants ethics probe of Harry Reid, Barbara Boxer," accessed September 16, 2013
  75. ↑ Politico, "Will Dems haul out hookers vs. Vitter?" September 12, 2013
  76. ↑ 76.0 76.1 76.2 Politico, "David Vitter’s ethics complaint dismissed," accessed September 25, 2013
  77. ↑ name="secondcomplaint">Roll Call, "Vitter Files Expanded Ethics Complaint Against Reid, Boxer," September 26, 2013
  78. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named secondcomplaint
  79. ↑ NY Times, "Woman Convicted in Washington Escort Case," accessed July 23, 2013
  80. ↑ CNN.com, "Hustler says it revealed senator's link to escort service," accessed July 23, 2013
  81. ↑ 81.0 81.1 The Town Talk, "Sen. Vitter won't endorse in 5th District race," accessed August 19, 2013
  82. ↑ Louisiana Secretary of State, "Candidate Inquiry," accessed July 25, 2016
  83. ↑ Nola.com, "David Vitter won't run for his U.S. Senate seat again," November 21, 2015
  84. ↑ Politico, "David Vitter stokes buzz about governor bid," accessed May 22, 2013
  85. ↑ AP News, "Vitter to decide on governor's race by January," accessed December 3, 2013
  86. ↑ Politico, "David Vitter to run for Louisiana governor in 2015," accessed January 21, 2014
  87. ↑ The Lens, "Elections 2015," accessed October 25, 2015
  88. ↑ The Shreveport Times, "Rand Paul endorses David Vitter for Louisiana governor," February 10, 2015
  89. ↑ The Advocate, "Politics blog: U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy endorses U.S. David Vitter in Louisiana governor's race," February 19, 2015
  90. ↑ 90.0 90.1 KLFY, "Boustany, Durel endorsing Vitter for La. governor," April 1, 2015
  91. ↑ Myarklamiss.com, "Vitter Picks Up Endorsement from Gun Rights Group," May 29, 2015
  92. ↑ Julia O'Donoghue, The Times-Picayune, "Jeb Bush endorses David Vitter in Louisiana governor's race," April 9, 2015
  93. ↑ 93.0 93.1 Igor Bobic, HuffPost Politics, "Rick Santorum, Ted Cruz make robocalls in support of David Vitter," November 16, 2015
  94. ↑ 94.0 94.1 94.2 Times-Picayune, "Louisiana's final gubernatorial debate: 5 things you need to know about it," November 17, 2015
  95. ↑ National Journal, "Vitter spars with Democratic opponent over Syrian refugees," November 17, 2015
  96. ↑ WDSU News, "First runoff gubernatorial debate ends in heated exchange between Vitter, Edwards," November 11, 2015
  97. ↑ 97.0 97.1 The Times-Picayune, "2015 governor candidates forum: Louisiana has a roads and infrastructure problem," January 16, 2015
  98. ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed September 25, 2015
  99. ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed September 25, 2015
  100. ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed May 4, 2015
  101. ↑ Louisiana Ethics Administration Program, "View Campaign Finance Reports," accessed February 19, 2015
  102. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2010," accessed July 4, 2013
  103. ↑ U.S. Congress House Clerk, "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 2004," accessed March 28, 2013
  104. ↑ OpenSecrets, "David Vitter (R-LA), 2012," accessed February 18, 2014
  105. ↑ This figure represents the average annual percentage growth from either 2004 (if the member entered office in 2004 or earlier) or their first year in office (as noted in the chart below) to 2012, divided by the number of years calculated.
  106. ↑ This number was found by dividing each member's total net worth growth percentage by the number of years included in the calculation.
  107. ↑ This figure represents the total percentage growth divided by the number of years for which there are net worth figures for each member.
  108. ↑ This figure was calculated using median asset data from the Census Bureau. Please see the Congressional Net Worth data for Ballotpedia spreadsheet for more information on this calculation.
  109. ↑ OpenSecrets.org, "Sen. David Vitter," accessed September 18, 2014
  110. ↑ GovTrack, "David Vitter," accessed July 22, 2014
  111. ↑ OpenCongress, "Sen. David Vitter," accessed September 23, 2015
  112. ↑ GovTrack, "Sen. David Vitter (R)," accessed September 23, 2015
  113. ↑ LegiStorm, "David Vitter," accessed 2012
  114. ↑ National Journal, "2013 Senate Vote Ratings," accessed July 22, 2014
  115. ↑ National Journal, "TABLE: House Liberal Scores by Issue Area," accessed February 26, 2013
  116. ↑ National Journal, "Searchable Vote Ratings Tables: House," accessed February 23, 2012
  117. ↑ OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014
  118. ↑ OpenCongress, "Voting With Party," accessed July 2014
  119. ↑ Official Website of Senator David Vitter, "Biography," accessed October 22, 2011
Political offices
Preceded by
John B. Breaux 		U.S. Senate - Louisiana
2005-2017 		Succeeded by
John Neely Kennedy (R)
Preceded by
' 		U.S. House - Louisiana District 1
1999-2004 		Succeeded by
Steve Scalise (R)
Preceded by
' 		Louisiana House of Representatives
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